Merced marchers hope to raise awareness on climate change

A group of about 40 people marched up and down M Street in Merced on Sunday on the eve of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris to raise awareness about environmental issues.

The U.N. climate summit formally opened Sunday afternoon with a minute of silence for the victims of this month’s Paris attacks and vows not to let terrorism derail efforts to slow or stop climate change.

A few miles away in Paris, police trying to secure the nation against new violence sprayed tear gas on protesters who defied a ban on demonstrations and lobbed projectiles. Millions of people around the world marched in support of funding renewable energy projects and reducing fossil fuels ahead of the conference, where government and business leaders will negotiate pledging billions of dollars to research and develop a technical fix to the planet’s climate woes.

The Merced march was organized by local residents as part of the Global Catholic Climate Movement and 350.org, but many who attended did so on their own accord because they were concerned about climate change, coming from as far as Los Banos, Fresno, El Portal and Mariposa. Those in attendance shared their interest in solar power, the millions of dying trees in the Sierra Nevada, conserving water and fracking operations.

Brooke Hanner and his wife, Karen, traveled from Mariposa to participate in the march to do their part in raising awareness about carbon emissions and supporting alternative fuels.

“We want to promote those ideas as much as possible,” Brooke Hanner said. “The clock is ticking, and people are the only ones who can make changes.”

As the group marched, people chanted phrases such as “Hey, hey, ho, ho, fossil fuels have got to go!” and “If you care, clean our air!” Many held banners and signs calling for “climate justice” and sustainability.

After the march, the group of attendees listened as speakers addressed issues surrounding climate change.

William Collier, an attorney versed on environmental issues, said politicians across the nation can do better on climate change, though he complimented the work of Gov. Jerry Brown, saying California is ahead of most states in environmental policy.

“I encourage people, as individuals, to reduce your carbon footprint,” he said. “Climate change is going to affect us. I don’t think life is going to end, but it’s going to change. I can see the train coming. It’s getting closer and closer, and we’re still just talking about it.”

Sharon Hoffman, an event organizer, said she hopes the event planted a seed and others in the community become active in supporting climate change projects. “It’s an imperative situation,” she said. “It’s time to wake up.”

This story was originally published November 29, 2015 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Merced marchers hope to raise awareness on climate change."